Friday, December 27, 2013

It should come as no surprise that I'm hopelessly addicted to all things Attack on Titan. I'm not a terribly huge fan of Nendoroids, but I do own a couple. They're very cute, but I like a larger range of poseability in my figures (like Revoltech and Figma). However, I've had the Colossus Titan preordered since it first became available, there was absolutely NO way I was passing on this playset. It's simultaneously one of the cutest and most disturbing figures I own!

Even the packaging was pretty cool, I love the alternate faceplate peeking over the top!

The playset comes with everything you need to recreate your own little Shiganshina District, complete with teensy buildings and a removable broken Wall Maria. The playset also features three of the showcased smaller class titans from the earlier episodes of the anime.

There are two different faceplates for the Colossus Titan. The 'realistic' version and a super deformed version. I prefer the super deformed look with the articulated jaws :3.

Unfortunately, as with most Nendoroids, this figure is practically incapable of standing on its own. I got my hopes up after seeing the beefier feet and legs, but the head is still just too hefty for them to support it. Although this figure is heavily articulated, the range of motion is still limited by the body, meaning he can't sit properly =_=. Normally, problems like this would drive me absolutely bonkers, but it's something I knew to be aware of before purchasing. Honestly, this set is just so cool, it makes up for the shortcomings in poseability. If you're a huge fan of the show, I definitely recommend giving this set a look :). You can check out the video demo below to get a better idea of the working parts. Thanks for reading!

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Oh jeez, please don't leave. I'm sorry, I wholeheartedly apologize for that title. It was just... there. I had to.

Oh, wait, look over there! It's sparkly, cute, beady things!

For those of you who are still listening at this point, recently I decided that I wanted to try my hand at making custom beaded jewelry for the Kawaii Machine shop.

In general, I tend to learn as I go. If I hit a snag, I'll search through a tutorial (or six) to figure out the process. I had no idea what I was doing, but I had handfuls of this multicolored sparkly stuff and knew I wanted to do something.

I started out by making linked bracelets. Each bead is hand linked with the next using silver plated beading wire. That's a lotta clipping and wire wrapping. Unfortunately, this also caused a pain flare-up throughout my hands and arms, so these types of bracelets will be one or two of a kind at most. I simply won't be able to sit down and make very many of them at a time D:.

The next type I tried turned out to be much easier on my hands, and better for people who'd rather not worry about specific sizing.

These bracelets are created by laying out a measured number of beads (usually 7-7.5" worth) in a design and threading a loop of stretch cord through. Much, much easier on my poor hands! I even made a few of the kind with the grosgrain ribbon for myself :3. I did, however, have to teach my uncouth self how to tie a proper bow >_>. Hint: Use a fork! For bigger bows, BAM! Four fingers are basically a fork.

In keeping with the theme of my shop, all of the new pieces are inspired by colors and themes found in both Fairy Kei and Pastel Goth fashions. I'm always on the lookout for new beads and ideas, so keep an eye on the shop for new items!

Friday, December 13, 2013

I've gone through a lot of 'favorite' colors over the years, but I have to say that 'Tiffany' blue has probably been the longest running obsession. I've managed to incorporate it into almost all of my site graphics and logos, haha. It's such a nice, bright color without being too overwhelming. Rochelle is one of my favorite girls to repaint because of her hair color combination. It's so cute, it's hard not to be inspired by this doll. This particular girl is still available in my Etsy shop.

'Tiffany,' Custom Monster High Dance Class Rochelle Goyle Repaint

The Dance Class version of Rochelle is undoubtedly my favorite. I love her bun hairstyle and the dance outfit she wears is just adorable (especially those shoes!). This particular version was really fun to photograph, I tried out a lot of different ballet inspired poses with her.

I wound the strands framing her face around a few pipe cleaners with a bit of gel to give them a delicate curl, as though they'd fallen loose while practicing. Her bangs were also trimmed and restyled.

If I had one complaint about stock dolls, it's that bangs can turn out atrociously bad sometimes =_=;. That and TINSEL. Tinsel is the bane of my existence. I still have quite a few girls waiting to be worked on, so keep your eyes peeled for new photos!

Thursday, December 12, 2013

I finally had a chance to work on some long planned custom Monster High repaints this week. A while back, I finally found the Target exclusive Dance Class five pack with Gil. Gil is my favorite boy to repaint, I really love his sculpting and skintone. It's just a shame that he's so hard to get my hands on! This time around, I wanted to try out a couple of new techniques.

Custom Dance Class Gillington Webber, ~Sold

If you take a closer look at this photo, you can see that the scales above his eyes are three dimensional! This was achieved by using a special type of gloss varnish that dries with a raised finish. It's called Dimensional Magic, by Mod Podge. The formula applies a bit milky at first, but it dries crystal clear with a slight magnification property which really makes details pop. You do have to be careful about air bubbles forming, however, but they're easily picked out with a dry paintbrush or popped with a toothpick.

I also treated all of his fins with the Dimensional Magic. Untouched, the fins are cloudy and matte, but once the varnish was applied, it really brought out a wonderfully translucent, almost wet quality which I thought was perfect for Gil. I really hope that some day he'll have a more widely available release, but for now I guess I'll just have to stick to getting lucky!

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

It's so easy to get left behind updating the proper blog when Tumblr is there >_>.

I really am sorry to have neglected this blog for so long (again). I'm going to start planning out regular posts each week with different themes including repaints, crafts, illustrations and toys :).

As an apology, have a Nendoroid Shizue (Isabelle)!

She's my first Nendoroid :3. I absolutely had to have her. I have so much fun playing New Leaf and she is just the cutest little thing. Normally, I keep all of my figures in my studio, but she's been hanging out on my computer tower. It's kind of like she's lording down over me with a disapproving stare as I spend hours gambling with Wonder Trade instead of catching bugs to pay for that new Dream Suite T___T.

Friday, September 6, 2013

With the sheer popularity of Monster High, these dolls are the ones I'm asked to work on 95% of the time. I haven't met a doll I didn't want to paint, though! A long time ago, I used to be an avid BJD collector (before I even knew communities and such existed) and would spend time painting my own dolls to get the hang of it. They weren't the first dolls I ever painted, but, but they were close.

I'm always excited to work on BJD heads, it's a completely different process vinyl dolls and gives me a nice change of pace. I painted this Fairyland Lishe and Luts Nina for Rachel recently as a commission and was very happy with how they turned out!

Monday, August 19, 2013

For the past month or so, I've been researching different ways to create charms and jewelry. I love the look and versatility of printed acrylic. I've been having loads of fun creating these new goodies.

If you'd told me a month ago that this ridiculous pastel Colossal Titan would be so popular, I'd never have believed you, haha. Of course I had to make him into some cute accessories! I've also had requests for this design to be made available as earrings, which I'm currently working on :3.

My Macaron Kitties also received a reincarnation as adorable hairpins and adjustable rings. I was finally able to find a Hobby Lobby and couldn't resist stocking up on blank jewelry settings and findings. They also had these tiny grosgrain ribbon bowknots in virtually every color imaginable. While I'm on the subject, the Hobby Lobby I visited is absolutely huge. I could have roamed around in there for hours! It seemed like I was finding something I could use every time I turned a corner.

My favorite find, however, has to be these giant pastel candies. They were originally lollipops with sticks, but I've removed them for the rings and added colorful bows and acrylic stars. They're coated in iridescent glitter and are actually hollow. So, even though it's a large statement ring, it's very light. Making items like these makes me wish I could wear fairy kei every day T_T.

My next acrylic pieces will be Halloween themed! I've already started designing them and they are absolutely adorable. Halloween, though, will have to wait until another post!

Thursday, August 15, 2013

And now, for something completely different!My new tarantulas arrived this morning, a day earlier than I was expecting. I already own G. rosea and B. albopilosum, Etta and Poppy (Rose Hair and Curly Hair, respectively). After keeping them for a few months and really getting the hang of things, I felt ready enough to give a couple more species a go.

I know that tarantulas aren't for everyone, so if you're squicked out by spiders, you might wanna give this blog a pass.

As an aside, they're also not to be taken lightly. They're living animals that get scared when being messed about by giant fleshy creatures. I researched many different types before deciding on my first two and read as much as I could about each one, their enclosure conditions, feeding, and most importantly: Wtf do I do if I get bitten? The answer to that is usually to deal with it, lol. Sometimes it requires an ER visit for muscle relaxers and/or painkillers and in rare cases of bad allergic reactions, further medical treatment. Remember, if you get bitten it's nobody's fault but your own.

My first two girls were chosen specifically for their docile demeanor and ease of care for a beginner. These new guys, though... they're not as 'nice.' Cobalts (Haplopelma lividum) in particular have a reputation for being angry little bitey things. As I soon found out, they're also lightning fast and extremely easily agitated. Before I managed to get these photos, it had already struck the lid of the deli cup it arrived in several times and was out of the cup before I could even blink. It was loose on my studio table for about five minutes, enjoying the heat of the lamp, before I managed to coax it into a box so I could get it back in the cup.

Juvenile Haplopelma lividum (Cobalt Blue Tarantula)

I really love the stripes on their abdomen. Since this one isn't very old, the blue coloration hasn't yet started showing. Males and females can initially have the blue coloration, but males tend to molt into a final brownish color once they reach maturity and die soon after. Females live years longer than males in most all tarantula species. Cobalts reach about 5" in leg span. These are not meant for handling, despite what you'll find on Youtube, they should be display only. They're old world spiders native to Myanmar and Thailand with particularly painful venom which causes burning, stinging, and cramping.

Next up is my Phormictopus cancerides (Haitian Brown Birdeater). This is the one which scared the crap out of me in the video. I was expecting to uncover a tub of dubia roaches and saw this -gigantic- thing staring back at me.

Haitian Brown Birdeater Tarantula (Phormictopus cancerides)

Gosh, it's a whopper and will only get bigger, haha. It was mad as hell, striking at me from inside the cup. P. cancerides hails from the Dominican Republic. Everything I've found on them contradicts itself in terms of bite severity, but I wouldn't want to get bitten by anything this big in the first place. These tarantulas can reach legspans of 8" or more. Eventually, they molt into a pretty purplish color. They do love to kick hairs, though, which can be a problem if you get any of them on yourself.Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of my Brachypelma smithi (Mexican Red Knee). It's a super tiny sling which I very much look forward to raising :). B. smithi is by far my favorite species of tarantula. They're fairly docile spiders, but as it goes with pretty much any critter, they can still get startled and scared. The little guy leapt from the tissue in the dram container onto my shirt and damned near crawled up my sleeve. Luckily, it popped back out and crawled onto my leg so I could recontain it. The lesson here is that I should obviously not be playing with spiders before I've had my coffee =_=. In any case, I'm so happy with these guys. They're absolutely gorgeous tarantulas. I'll post more about them when they've had a chance to settle into their new enclosures :).

Friday, August 9, 2013

This week's Toy Fiend post features a review of one of the new Color Me Creepy Monster High sets, the Sea Monster doll. I had some extra cute help trying out this set. I visited DollsAhoy! (Andrea) yesterday for a dolly play date; she and her son were more than happy to help me out with my new toy, hehe.

The Child tries out the color changing legs.

In all honesty, the color changing aspect had no bearing on my purchase of this set. I HAD to have that tentacle dress :3. I also really love the new color of the Sea Monster girl, she's one of my favorite Monster High dolls to repaint. Andrea's son was really getting into this set, though I think he had more fun splashing in the water than the actual color changing :).

Lots of colorful accessories!

This set includes a lot of accessories: shoes, a dress, a squishy wig,
ears that pop into holes on the wig, two sets of leg and arm cuffs, and a
neat new clear base stand which doubles as the water dish. My set only came with one ear, however, but that doesn't matter much to me and was likely a fluke. The blue cuffs have fins and a shark skin texture, the yellow cuffs are tentacle patterns. The Sea Monster's shoes look as though they're made from kelp.

The Color Me Creepy set includes a recolored version of
the original Create A Monster dolls whose limbs, lipstick, and eyeshadow
change colors with icy water. The dolls also have one little spot on
their clavicle which changes color, the Sea Monster girl, here, has a
tiny tentacle which shows up. You're
supposed to fill the blue pen with water and place it in the fridge,
but Andrea just tossed a few ice cubes in a dish to save time. The blue water pen also split in two and I was unable to click it back together. Again, this doesn't matter to me, but it might be a pain for someone whose children are excited about playing with this set. Of course, you can still use the pen, it just won't have the cool outer casing.

Using the 'friction tool' to draw designs on the doll's legs.

Icy water changes the skin color from light blue to an inky looking
black. This is facilitated by a coating on the doll, however, which I
suspect might be prone to rubbing off and flaking with vigorous play.
The red 'friction' tool is moved along the skin to generate heat and
turn the black color back to the original blue. You can also just hold
it in your hand for a bit to warm the piece back up. As with all of the
CAM dolls, the limbs easily pop in and out of their joints and the head
attaches easily, with no anchor.

I know a lot of people were disappointed with the plastic wigs, but I love the way they look! I really like not having to spend ten minutes making sure every hair is in place for photos, too >_>. It's not for everyone, but it's a nice change of pace for me. This version of the Sea Monster girl also lacks the molded tentacles on her arms and legs, which I actually prefer for re-dressing. I'm pretty sure this is just a Create a Monster Vampire body with a Sea Monster head.Overall, the quality of this set is a bit lacking. The makeup is pretty awful and sparse, but I think this was the exchange in order to incorporate the color changing materials. For kids, I think they'd have a bit of initial fun with it and probably end up tossing this into the pile of 'things which are never played with again.' I definitely wouldn't consider it a need-to-purchase unless you're really keen on having all of the releases.For me, I just wanted to repaint a different color Sea Monster girl and steal her accessories, haha. If it's the accessories you're after, though, I'm positive they can be found separately second hand. I'm also happy to see a whole doll instead of an add-on with missing or mismatched pieces (I'm looking at YOU Design Lab =_=). Even though it's not particularly mind blowing, I also like the clear stand. It reminds me of the stands for some of the higher end figures I own.So what do you guys think? Will you be picking up any of these sets? Have you got them already?Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Hello there! Hope everyone's having a good week :).This time, I'm taking a little more in depth look at my latest repaint, Raven Queen from Ever After High.

Before After

I am still enjoying working on these dolls very much. Now that I've completed the current releases in their default hair and clothing, I'd like to branch out with complete custom versions :). I wanted Raven to have a heavy lidded look with sultry, smoky eyes and dark coloration. I still believe Mattel missed the mark when it came to designing the default makeup for these girls. Their eyes are much too small for such round, large faces.She looked like this for a while, due to some unforeseen sick/pain days ;_;.

Clawdeen, Raven, Maddie, Cleo with base colors.

If it's appeared that my last couple eBay auctions have been wonky, it's because they have =_=. I'm working on transitioning all of my custom doll listings to Etsy because frankly, I'm being eaten alive by eBay fees. I post custom availability pretty much everywhere, though, so you should always be in the know of where they're listed :).

Friday, August 2, 2013

Admittedly, I've only gotten through about ten episodes of Puella Magi Madoka Magica. That being said, it's a screwed up show o_o. I fell in love with Mami and Madoka, though. I absolutely adore their character designs. They're just too cute!Today's Toy Fiend features the Cu-Poche Madoka Kaname (still available here for ¥3,420 from HLJ.com) from Kotobukiya.

Tiny, pink, and cute!

I've been a fan of Kotobukiya as long as I've been collecting figures. I started back in the day with Final Fantasy VIII statuettes and haven't looked back. I've always been impressed with their quality and their Cu-Poche line is no different. Undoubtedly, this is their answer to the Nendoroid craze, however it features a few crucial updates. Like most super deformed poseable figures, Madoka arrives with a plethora of accessories and one awful, little rat, who shall never be unpackaged =_=. No, really, I hate Kyuubey. Multiple expressions, weapons, and hands are at your disposal for creating a wide variety of poses.

Tiny floating faces, decapitated hands, and rat monsters, oh my!

The most notable difference from the other super deformed figures out there would be the size of the arms and legs and thus expanded articulation. Someone wasn't thinking their cunning plan through when they made Madoka, however. Even though her legs are on nice, flexible ball joints, her skirt is a solid piece that prevents sitting (she can still kneel, though). Even so, these figures have three points of 360 degree articulation in each leg (thigh, knee, and ankle) and two points in each arm (shoulder and elbow). Her head, waist, and pig tails also rotate. The paint job on these figures is very nice and smooth. Even her knees and elbows have faint blushing detail.My favorite deviation from the usual would have to be this little gem:

MAGNETS, HOW DO THEY WORK?

A mother-humping MAGNETIC STAND. WHY don't ALL action figures come with one of these?! This little baby is powerful, too, it supports the weight of Madoka's massive head (seriously, that thing is quite heavy for such a small figure). She comes with a stand that plugs into the base as well, but I don't even care. I haven't even opened it O_O. From a photographer's standpoint, masking or making do without the stand is a pain in the ass sometimes. This way, you can just slide it directly under whatever backdrop you're using <3.

There's no such thing as too much Madoka.

In all, I'm very glad to have added her to my collection. She's definitely a cutie and I'll have loads of fun with her. I've already preordered the Mami Cu-Poche and Sayaka is up for preorder as well. You can check out all of the Cu-Poche releases here. Thanks for reading and happy collecting!

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

I finally got around to finishing my Madeline Hatter repaint! It took a bit longer than usual because I had a specific look in mind for her :3. I wanted it to be just right! This repaint is currently available for bid or purchase on eBay here: Maddie's Auction

Maddie <3

Everything about this girl is just perfect for me :). I'm in love with pastel colors lately (who isn't, right?). I wanted her to have large, sweet, and curious eyes. I kept the rest of her makeup color palette very soft, with pastel hues.

Maddie's doll is unique in one aspect that I failed to mention in my earlier review: She's very tiny! She's a full head shorter than the other girls in her line and I find that absolutely adorable. Even in the Monster High line, the majority of the girls are the same height (save for Nefera, Howleen, and Twyla, but they are older and younger than the main cast). I would have loved for Draculaura to have a height more representative of her character on the show.Up next is a custom I created of Skull Shores Cleo de Nile, which I nicknamed Aria. She's already been snapped up on the 'bay, but I wanted to go into a bit more detail because this is my favorite version of her that I've worked on so far.

Custom Repainted Skull Shores Cleo de Nile

First of all: THERE'S NO !@#$%$ING TINSEL. I absolutely loathe the type of tinsel Mattel uses for her hair (and Nefera's), it always becomes separated from the thread and ends up looking stringy and gross. It's also a complete pain to sit there and remove each strand. Why they couldn't just use the type of tinsel they root in Abbey's hair is beyond me.All of the other girls in this line have some kind of skimpy bathing suit with a skirt type or pullover coverup. I love Cleo the most because of her fabulous palazzo pants. You don't need a skirt and a tiny bathing suit to look fierce :).

Friday, July 26, 2013

Had Heather not posted her adorable little Ragerock and Murlocs, I might have never even known about the World of Warcraft Megabloks. Late to the game again, gosh, what kind of nerd do I even think I am?Whilst searching ye olde eBay for two more tiny Murlocs to add to my collection (two is a collection, right? right.), I came across this monster of a set:

Having not been aware of the existence of a Warcraft Megabloks line, imagine my surprise when I came across this epic set. I'm in love with Death Knight lore, Arthas is my favorite character. I play a Death Knight:

Lol, hi, I'm Axelspark. The Purple Death Knight.

I have a giant, fluffy grey Maine Coon named Arthas (though we call him Artie, for short):

*fwomp*

How in the world (of Warcraft, hurr) did I miss this? Blindspots aside, I was elated when I was able to grab this set on eBay for about fifteen bucks. About an hour later (I'll make no excuses for my inability to follow instructions, I just plain suck at assembly) I ended up with this!

The teeniest little Lich King!

LOOK AT THAT TINY FROSTMOURNE! His little helm! This is the most adorable rendition of Arthas I've ever seen > 3 <! He's just so tiny T___T~ He looked a little lonely, though, so I tossed in a couple of my Playmobil skeletons to keep him company on his frozen throne.

"Who do you want to maim today?" "I dunno, who do you want to maim?" Arthas: "DON'T START THAT AGAIN!"

I still hate fighting her =_=. Putting her together was a pain, too. This will have to do until I sort my priorities and finally get my Frostbrood mount (it's only been... how many years? .__.;).

Before I snagged this set, though, I found the Goblin Trike on clearance at Target for about six bucks. There was no way in the world I could pass it up.

Time is money, friend.

Admittedly, I prefer the look of the Turbo Trike, but I'll take what I can get. The details on these sets are pretty sweet given that they're comprised of blocks, they even included that kitschy raccoon tail.

It's not a bug, it's a feature!

The smaller kits don't come with secret loot, but I did get one with the Lich King set!

Soul Releaser Secret Loot

I was hoping for a Judgement Helm or Shard of Azzinoth, but I guess I'll just have to keep trying!

About Me

I'm Elly, the brain at work behind Retrograde Works and Kawaii Machine. I have an addiction to cute! I customize toys and dolls and design unique, fairy kei and pastel goth inspired apparel and accessories. I blog about my own creations as well as other adorable finds from across the web.